Am reading a fascinating book by Howard Means titled "The Avenger Takes His Place...Andrew Johnson and the 45 Days that Changed the Nation". Many have asked how it was that Lincoln chose Andrew Johnson as Vice President in 1864 and how dreaded the choice turned out to be, given the events at Ford's Theater. Well, it was Dan Sickles who Lincoln chose to vet Andrew Johnson to be Lincoln's choice. Apparently, (p. 83) Sickles travelled to Nashville in the spring of 1864, interviewed Johnson, and returned to Lincoln saying he found nothing particularly wrong with Andrew Johnson.

What an endorsement, "nothing particularly wrong". What was Lincoln thinking? Sickles was a murder, who got away with it and a spectacularly bad general. So he based his selection on his counsel? Say it ain't so Abe!

I seem to remember Sickles was one of those political figures who were their own best press agents and would attack other's through the press using an assumed name while at the same time praising themselves. Someone does that is it little wonder they would be selected?

Also, yes Sickles was a murderer, but he turned the screws so he was the innocent party. And his wife the guilty one.